Every year, 21 million people in the United States receive braces for the first time. Modern bracing is designed to be as non-intrusive as possible. The following guide explores how some types of braces can impact activities. It’s important to understand the different types of bracing that people may receive from an orthodontist. The type of braces that a person receives will vary based on their dental needs.

UPDATED 24-12-17

Braces come in many guises – below is a list of the most popular.

Invisalign

If an individual’s teeth only need a minor correction, it may be possible to receive Invisalign braces. These braces are manufactured out of a specialized plastic composite. Since these can be easily removed when eating or brushing one’s teeth, they usually won’t restrict an individual’s ability to participate in most activities. However, Invisalign braces can only be used to correct minor dental defects.

If an individual has advanced dental needs, he or she may receive traditional metal braces. While traditional metal braces can be used to straighten teeth in a more effective way than an Invisalign device, they do hamper some activities.

Playing Musical Instruments

Patients who wear metal devices may experience issues when playing some musical instruments. Instruments like the French horn, trombone and trumpet can be difficult to play with these. Since metal devices impact the way that an individual’s mouth fits on the metal mouthpiece, it can be difficult to form the necessary “mouth shapes” for certain musical notes. In most cases, reed-based instruments like the saxophone are easy to play with a set of metal braces in one’s mouth. However, you can get rubber bumpers or brace guards from your local music store to play these instrument with less agony.

MRI Scanning

If you have metal in your mouth, it’s critical to make sure that healthcare providers know you have them. For example, MRI machines use a very powerful magnet for imaging. Since the magnet inside an MRI machine can interact with the metal inside braces, an individual may be exposed to a significant degree of risk when getting an MRI. However, there are non-magnetic imaging tools that can be safely used for individuals.

Sports Activities

Some sports activities can also be dangerous for people who wear contraptions. Contact sports like football and hockey often involve forceful impacts to one’s face. In most cases, a person without bracing avoids dental damage by wearing a specialized splint. However, those who have metal devices are stuck. Fortunately, there is an alternative. In many cases, an orthodontist will be able to provide a specialized mouth splint that is designed for use with metal types.

Foods to Avoid

It’s also important to avoid the consumption of certain foods when one is in orthodontic treatment. Food items like gum, toffee and other chewy substances can dislocate the metal structure. In addition, tough foods like apples and steak can damage braces. It’s a good idea to use a fork and knife to cut these foods into smaller pieces when eating them.

Here’s the Deal:

When looking for an orthodontist in Centerville, don’t forget to contact Dr. Sam King, because we offer a wide variety of options. In addition to Invisalign Teen braces, our orthodontist will be able to provide Invisalign pictures to help you see what your teeth will look like in the future.

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Being a 64 year old man I was not the least bit looking forward to getting braces. My case was a little different than most and needed a consult with Dr Sam King about how we were going to achieve our goal. I liked him the minute I met him. Dr. Sam always has a smile on his face. We set a course of action and moved forward. It worked perfectly. Dr Sam King and his staff gets my highest recommendation. As a side note, during my treatment I found out I had Prostate Cancer. I wasn’t sure I wanted to go any further with my treatment. When I mentioned this to Dr Sam he stopped what he was doing and sat down with me to talk this out. Every chair in the treatment room was full with patients. But he just stopped everything. He gave me his undivided attention for a few minutes. Offered his help in any way he could. I will never forget that.